2017 NFL thread v. Patriots Dynasty

[Dublagent66]

One player can rally a team if he's good enough and well respected in the locker room.  However, on the field or off, one player doesn't make or break a team.  It's always a collective effort.  A good example is the Giants.  Everyone was talking about the absence of OBJ in week 1.  If he plays in week 2, will that help the offense?  The answer was no because NY doesn't have an O line.  Granted that OBJ wasn't 100%, but even then it wouldn't matter.  Eli has no time to throw.

[Dream Team]

If it seems to you that Philip Rivers is always in a do-or-die situation in the 4th quarter, it's not a delusion:

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/quick-reads/2017/week-2-quick-reads

This is another good read if you're sick to death of check-downs:

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/19/16332762/watchability-fun-football-boring-quality-of-play

[jingle.boy]

The Return of the Power Rankings!!!!
*snip*

I guess Hou, Ten, Wash, Sea, SF, LAR, and Jax are about as uneventful as they come?  Personally, I think SF should be in the bottom 5. (sorry bosk)

[cramx3]

The Return of the Power Rankings!!!!
*snip*

I guess Hou, Ten, Wash, Sea, SF, LAR, and Jax are about as uneventful as they come?  Personally, I think SF should be in the bottom 5. (sorry bosk)

You could throw my Giants down into the bottom 5 as well.  They are hard to watch with that oline.

[mike099]

Is the AFC south considered the weakest division this year? 

[bosk1]

Personally, I think SF should be in the bottom 5. (sorry bosk)

Until proven otherwise, I don't have a problem with that. 

[Cable]

Is the AFC south considered the weakest division this year?

I reckon the South divisions have been the weakest the last handful of years. And yeah, AFC South no doubt due to the recent 8-8 or 9-7 winners. NFC South has recently done well though of course. AFC East is a candidate, just due to NE always owning it. Even if their record is worse in division vs. everyone else, them winning the division will always be cited as a result of a weak division.

[KevShmev]

The Return of the Power Rankings!!!!
*snip*

I guess Hou, Ten, Wash, Sea, SF, LAR, and Jax are about as uneventful as they come? Personally, I think SF should be in the bottom 5. (sorry bosk)

I considered that, but they at least put up a fight on Sunday at Seattle, a difficult place to play, so I thought I would spare them that dishonor, for one week at least.

[max_security]

Is the AFC south considered the weakest division this year?

I reckon the South divisions have been the weakest the last handful of years. And yeah, AFC South no doubt due to the recent 8-8 or 9-7 winners. NFC South has recently done well though of course. AFC East is a candidate, just due to NE always owning it. Even if their record is worse in division vs. everyone else, them winning the division will always be cited as a result of a weak division.

Browns and Pats should have been switched years ago imo. Cleveland and Cincinnati in the same div just doesn't seem right.

[King Postwhore]

Yeah no. Just because the other three teams can't get their act together doesn't mean we have to move to another  division.  Besides East Coast team in the AFC South the thing that sounds silly?

[PowerSlave]

Is the AFC south considered the weakest division this year?

I reckon the South divisions have been the weakest the last handful of years. And yeah, AFC South no doubt due to the recent 8-8 or 9-7 winners. NFC South has recently done well though of course. AFC East is a candidate, just due to NE always owning it. Even if their record is worse in division vs. everyone else, them winning the division will always be cited as a result of a weak division.

Browns and Pats should have been switched years ago imo. Cleveland and Cincinnati in the same div just doesn't seem right.

The two of them along with Pittsburgh make sense being in a division geographically. The fourth team should be the colts in that division. Baltimore should be in the south.

[max_security]

Is the AFC south considered the weakest division this year?

I reckon the South divisions have been the weakest the last handful of years. And yeah, AFC South no doubt due to the recent 8-8 or 9-7 winners. NFC South has recently done well though of course. AFC East is a candidate, just due to NE always owning it. Even if their record is worse in division vs. everyone else, them winning the division will always be cited as a result of a weak division.

Browns and Pats should have been switched years ago imo. Cleveland and Cincinnati in the same div just doesn't seem right.

The two of them along with Pittsburgh make sense being in a division geographically. The fourth team should be the colts in that division. Baltimore should be in the south.

Well , one Ohio team to NFC perhaps. It's like the Ravens and Redskins , it would really suck to be in the same division (Ravens fan here ). The Ohio teams are no fun this year for the North either way.

[Dream Team]

The NFL keeps insisting on putting shitty teams in prime time games.

[KevShmev]

That game tomorrow night will be awful.  Then again, most Thursday night games are, but Rams/49ers is just ugly.

[mikeyd23]

It's tough though because there are so many bad teams in the league. Odds are a lot of prime time games will have at least one stinker of a team.

[Stadler]

Yeah no. Just because the other three teams can't get their act together doesn't mean we have to move to another  division.  Besides East Coast team in the AFC South the thing that sounds silly?

Aren't the Pats THE most easternmost team in the league?  Why would they be the ones to move? 

[Dublagent66]

That game tomorrow night will be awful.  Then again, most Thursday night games are, but Rams/49ers is just ugly.

Who knows?  Might be a close game, but ugly nonetheless.   I didn't even come close to picking either of those teams in the survivor.  It was only a question of who's worse?  Dunno...

[bosk1]

That game tomorrow night will be awful.  Then again, most Thursday night games are, but Rams/49ers is just ugly.

Who knows?  Might be a close game, but ugly nonetheless.   I didn't even come close to picking either of those teams in the survivor.  It was only a question of who's worse?  Dunno...

Interesting you should say that.  I read an article a week or so ago that was arguing against the NFL having a dip in quality (although it was actually a poorly disguised pro-Kaepernick piece), and the whole argument really boiled down to:  the number of close games hasn't diminished; and since "close" = "good," the quality hasn't diminished significantly from the glory days of the NFL in the '80s to now.

I'm not sure why some equate "good" with "close."  A blowout can be a really amazing game.  A close game can be absolute rubbish.  Yeah, if you have a game coming down to the wire, that neverousness at the end makes it fun.  But that doesn't mean it was a "good" game, or doesn't mean it was any more "good" than a more one-sided game where the winner does some truly amazing things that are a joy to watch.

[mikeyd23]

^ Yeah I agree - in no way does close =good for me. Two crap team playing poorly with a tied 3-3 score midway through the 4th isn't great entertainment.

[King Postwhore]

[Dublagent66]

LOL King 


@Bosk1 Yeah, those are all good points.  So many different variables to good and bad games and not necessarily close games.  Also, there is the possibility of two mediocre teams playing each very well on a given night such as TNF.  Tonight could very well end up being a good game.  We'll see. 

[bosk1]

Well, ANY game the 49ers win is a "good" game, by definition, so there's that.  But otherwise, I'm not counting on anything.

[CrimsonSunrise]

That game tomorrow night will be awful.  Then again, most Thursday night games are, but Rams/49ers is just ugly.

I hope it's gonna be awesome!  Great rivalry so hopefully both teams will be up for it.  Hoping we whoop some niner azzz!!!! 
Breaking out the "Mustard" Uni's again 

Yeah..you heard me Bosky 

[max_security]

Man the uniforms look crazy 

[jingle.boy]

Man the uniforms look crazy 

Yeah, I hate pastel-night.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Yeah.... HOW BOUT THAT!!!!!!!....... **mic drop**

Boring enough for y'all?

OK...had to say that   Seriously... damn... my Def. sucks!  BUT!  Seems I have an Offense all of the sudden?  Yet a suspect Defense... What a warped twist of fate.

[bosk1]

Wow.  Losing to the Rams is a new low.  I'm stunned.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Wow.  Losing to the Rams is a new low.  I'm stunned.

Really?? 

[Cable]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20777856/lawyer-says-aaron-hernandez-had-advanced-stages-cte
https://www.tmz.com/2017/09/21/aaron-hernandezs-fiancee-sues-patriots-nfl-cte/

In her suit, Shayanna says she and her daughter are seeking "redress for the loss of parental consortium she has experienced based on the negligent conduct of Defendants that deprived her of the companionship and society of her father, Aaron Hernandez."

Piss off. At what point then was your fiancé negligent to your family by continuing to be a gang-banger? Once he was drafted, after his contract, or after the birth of your child? I say this as my career is in the c.j. system and as MH worker and I have zero empathy for this woman, or Hernandez. Sure, their kid- but she made that choice to be with the guy, you know what he liked to do and still did it. You got what you signed up before, because the risks are well known. Hernandez had the chance at many levels to turn away from the life, and didn't. Even worse that you didn't grow up in the life, but rather turned to it when you were a teen.

I have great empathy for CTE in gridiron players, so much that my attention to the game is wavering. In this case, the claim is ridonkulous IMO.

[RoeDent]

Looks like the Rams and 49ers have rediscovered the lost art of scoring points. There's already been quite a few low-scoring games this year, including at least one where both teams were restricted to single-figures.

[Dublagent66]

Either that or it's the continued artistic display of bad defense. 

[KevShmev]

I think the Rams D will be okay.  Wade Phillips is a great DC and it takes time to adjust going from a 4-3 to a 3-4.

If nothing else, we are seeing a what clueless dope Jeff Fisher was when it came to offense.  Todd Gurley, all of a sudden, looks like the stud again that everyone thought he'd be.

Yes, I ended up watching more of last night's game than I intended to.

[The Trooper]

I think the Rams D will be okay.  Wade Phillips is a great DC and it takes time to adjust going from a 4-3 to a 3-4.

If nothing else, we are seeing a what clueless dope Jeff Fisher was when it came to offense.  Todd Gurley, all of a sudden, looks like the stud again that everyone thought he'd be.

Yes, I ended up watching more of last night's game than I intended to.

To me it is twofold. Actually 3.

1) Goff was held back by Fisher.
2) Gurley is a monster.
3) Rams went out and signed one of the best offensive lineman in the game.

You can go get all the stud receivers, running backs, you want. If you do not have an offensive line, particularly left tackle. pack it in.

When Lane Johnson went down last year, Wentz had no chance, He has him now, and Wentz is a stud,

Ironically, the offensive lineman that the rams signed from the bengals, lol look at Dalton now. and they arguable have one of the top receivers in the game,

Diva wide receivers are a dime a dozen. Build the o line.

Look at the Seahaks and Giants. 2 of the best defenses in the league. Common thread, no o line. When your offense cant do shi, means your defense is on the field for 40 minutes. because of no o line

[KevShmev]

Yep, a good o-line is far more important than having a stud WR.  How many Super Bowl rings do Calvin Johnson, Odell Beckham, Antonio Brown, AJ Green and Julio Jones (low blow, I know), probably the five best WRs of the 10s, have?

It's crazy to see how bad o-lines are nowadays.  Shoot, what teams have very good/great o-lines? Dallas, Oakland, New England, maybe Tennessee and....??

[PowerSlave]

Yep, a good o-line is far more important than having a stud WR.  How many Super Bowl rings do Calvin Johnson, Odell Beckham, Antonio Brown, AJ Green and Julio Jones (low blow, I know), probably the five best WRs of the 10s, have?

It's crazy to see how bad o-lines are nowadays.  Shoot, what teams have very good/great o-lines? Dallas, Oakland, New England, maybe Tennessee and....??

You mention AB, but the problem isn't the o-line with the steelers. It's the secondary. In fact, I'd call the o-line on that team one of their strengths.